With the absence of the Champion Stayers Hurdler Teahupoo, the Savills Hurdle is there for one of the lesser lights to have their day in the sun.

Here, I give the positives and negatives of the eight runners and who I see coming out on top.

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Grade 1 Savills Hurdle runner by runner betting guide

Now it’s time to take an in-depth look into runners of the Savills Hurdle and the best horse racing bookmakers to help you make a winning bet.

🏇 5 Home By The Lee

• Age: 9
• Weight: 11st 10lb
• Form: 533-61
• Rating: 155
• Jockey: J J Slevin
• Trainer: Joseph O’Brien
• Odds: 9/4

After Joseph O’Brien’s heroics to have Banbridge spot on to win King George VI Chase at Kempton, can he bag yet another Grade 1 this week with Home By The Lee?

He certainly set down a marker to last time out when taking the Lismullen Hurdle at Navan at the main expense of Bob Olinger.

Home By The Lee took this race back in 2022 and was sent off a 9/4 chance to retain his crown last season, but he bombed out and finished last of the five finishers.

You can forgive him for that run as he had to make his own running, and they went a slow gallop throughout which he hated every second of it.

We saw what he is truly capable of when he finished within six lengths of Teahupoo in the Stayers Hurdle at the Cheltenham and Punchestown Festivals.

He then finished the season with a creditable sixth at Auteuil in the Grand Course de Haies d’Auteuil.

With the promise of at least one that will force the pace with Home By The Lee, there is every chance he can record his second win in three runs in the Savills Hurdle.

He is a horse that I would wait to back him in running to see how he is travelling. If he is on a going day, then he could take some stopping here.

✅ A former winner of this race
✅ Won well last time out
✅ A true stayer

❌ A slow pace would hinder his chances

Star rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐⭐⭐

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🏇 3 Bob Olinger

• Age: 9
• Weight: 11st 10lb
• Form: 1122-2
• Rating: 159
• Jockey: Rachael Blackmore
• Trainer: Henry de Bromhead
• Odds: 11/4

Is Bob Olinger the most talented in this lineup? Yes

Does he stay three miles? No

I can not hide from how much I adore Bob Olinger and will to the day he retires, but even I know he does not truly stay three miles.

On the two occasions he was tried over three miles, he was pulled up over fences and then could only manage a well-beaten fifth behind Home By The Lee in this race back in 2022.

I would love to see him win, but Bob is a two-mile four-furlong specialist.

He will be travelling like the winner turning in, but unless he suddenly finds stamina reserves that we didn’t know he had, then it is more than likely that he will be battling it out for a place.

✅ Processes bags of talent

❌ Doesn’t stay three miles

Star rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐

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🏇 4 Hewick

• Age: 9
• Weight: 11st 10lb
• Form: 63-232
• Rating: 155
• Jockey: Jordan Gainford
• Trainer: Miss Tara Lee Cogan
• Odds: 11/2

Miss Tara Lee Cogan’s decision to reroute Hewick here instead of assigning him the task of retaining his King George VI Chase crown at Kempton on Thursday could end up being a smart move.

His last run over hurdles saw him go close to winning the Grade 1 Grand Course de Haies d’Auteuil in May (Home By The Lee back in sixth).

We know he stays well at this trip and can set the pace from the drop of the flag, which should see this run at a proper gallop.

He’s shortening in the betting, but he is still worth an each-way play at his current price.

It is hard to see him not being in the top three after his great run behind Envoi Allen in the Grade 1 Ladbrokes Champion Chase at Down Royal.

Hewick has a lot to recommend and will give Home By The Lee the most to think about.

✅ The switch to hurdles will be no issue
✅ Ran second on his last start over hurdles
✅ In good form over fences

❌ Won’t want the ground to get too soft

Star rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐⭐

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🏇 1 Asterion Folonge

• Age: 10
• Weight: 11st 10lb
• Form: 52612-
• Rating: 155
• Jockey: Paul Townend
• Trainer: Willie Mullins
• Odds: 15/2

Having finished second in last season’s running, Asterion Folonge will likely be able to play a part here if he is in the same form as last season.

There is no doubt that he has his own way of doing things and can launch himself out to his right on occasions, but when he is on his best behaviour, like last season, he still can cut it at this level.

Last season, Asterion Forlonge put together a series of creditable runs, including a Grade 3 win and a second-place finish to Teahupoo in the Punchestown Stayers Hurdle.

Going left-handed has never seen him at his best, but if he can negate the number of times he jumps out to the right, there is no reason why he can’t run into a place today.

✅ Still processing a lot of ability
✅ Second in last season’s running

❌ Not as good racing left-handed
❌ Tends to jump out to his right

Star rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐

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🏇 6 Noble Yeats

• Age: 9
• Weight: 11st 10lb
• Form: 72170-
• Rating: 151
• Jockey: Donoagh Meyler
• Trainer: Emmet Mullins
• Odds: 15/2

The 2022 Aintree Grand National hero successfully transitioned back to hurdling last season when getting the better of Paisley Park in the Grade 2 Cleeve Hurdle at Cheltenham.

He backed that run up with a creditable seventh in the Stayers Hurdle at the Festival before a never-travelling 19th in the Grand National.

This is a tough enough task on his first run of the season, given that he always needs his first outing.

He is a big burly horse who looks to take a lot of work to get fit, but if they go a quick pace up front, there won’t be anyone staying on as strong as Noble Yeats at the finish.

It’s hard to see him winning, but he may run on late into a place.

✅ Will be staying strong at the finish
✅ Grade 2 winning hurdler last season

❌ Can get outpaced

Star rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐

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🏇 8 Sandor Clegane

• Age: 7
• Weight: 11st 10lb
• Form: 2244-2
• Rating: 140
• Jockey: Sean O’Keeffe
• Trainer: Paul Nolan
• Odds: 20/1

Sandor Clegane is another who has reverted back to hurdling after a less-than-successful stint over the larger obstacles.

Having been sent off the well-backed 7/4 favourite for his comeback over hurdle at Clonmel, he put in one of the worst rounds of jumping I have ever seen him produce, but he did still manage to run on into third when looking like he was going to put down a serious challenge coming to two out.

If he jumps as he did at Clonmel, he has no chance against much better opposition today, but if he can cut out the mistakes, this lightly raced hurdler may cause a few surprises today.

He’s not ruled out and could surprise a few here.

✅ Lightly raced over this trip

❌ Put in a bad round of jumping last time out

Star rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐

🐎 Bet on Sandor Clegane with bet365 🐎

🏇 2 Beacon Edge

• Age: 7
• Weight: 11st 10lb
• Form: 124513
• Rating: 147
• Jockey: Danny Gilligan
• Trainer: Gordon Elliott
• Odds: 33/1

Despite his age and number of runs since this time last year, Beacon Edge has been running consistently.

He has bagged himself a Grade 2 win in the UK this season before a creditable third behind Lossiemouth and Teahupoo in the Hatton Grace Hurdle.

Beacon Edge is a strong stayer at this trip, but he will likely find a few too good for him today.

✅ Grade 2 winner this season

❌ Looks shy of this level now

Star rating: ⭐️⭐️

🐎 Bet on Beacon Edge with SBK 🐎

🏇 7 Rocky’s Diamond

• Age: 4
• Weight: 11st 10lb
• Form: 01-51
• Rating: 130
• Jockey: Shane Fitzgerald
• Trainer: Declan Queally
• Odds: 50/1

This is a massive task for the four-year-old, and he will find it too much too soon.

It’s impossible to give him any chance to grab a place based on what we have already seen.

✅ Lightly raced

❌ Nowhere near up to winning this

Star rating: ⭐️

🐎 Bet on Beacon Edge with BetMGM 🐎

Grade 1 Savills Hurdle Verdict

A cracking renewal of the Savills Hurdle, with many coming in here with something to recommend, but when all is said and done, HOME BY THE LEE can record his second win in this race.

Hewick has strong each-way claims and don’t rule out Sandor Clegane leaving his previous run well behind him here.

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